This was our first message.  I am reprinting it, so everyone who reads it will know the reason for this blog.

The Scribe Which Is Instructed Unto the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 13:52 ” Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.”

We are starting this blog for Christians. To strengthen and encourage God’s people to seek, and trust the Lord.
All given with the prayer that they meet the need of those who read them.

We believe that one of the greatest needs of this Church Age is to understand and Have Christ’s kingdom come within the heart of each of His own.

Matthew 6:10 “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven.”(KJV)

Notice it is “in earth”, not on it.
This is His Personal Kingdom coming with in your life. When you make Him King, and He reigns there.
When we are born again (John 3:3, 7) and “ye must be born again”….we enter His kingdom as His citizens. But it is only when we are obedient to His laws and ordinances that we make Him King in our lives.

If we are still “running the show” ; He is not King, Personally.
“Thy Kingdom Come, Thy Will be done.”
When this becomes a fact in our everyday lives, we are subjects of that Kingdom, and expressions of it:
Our Wills are His, and are then empowered to do His Will.
For it is then, He sits on the Throne of our Hearts.

Not that we make others do His Will….but that WE DO HIS WILL.

Then HIS KINGDOM HAS COME ….WITH IN US.

It is a great feeling to come to the place where the arguments WITH GOD, end; and the Holy Spirit–instead of correcting , empowers to go forward in peace, joy and faith.

AND HOW SHALL HIS KINGDOM COME?
Luke 18:8 “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?”

This is “on the earth”.
There are some who believe that His Kingdom will be brought in, when enough of His Own are praying for it.
I do not know if that is true.
But I do know that readiness for His return will be conditioned by prayer:

Luke 18:1 “And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”
Jesus speaks here, of the closing days of the Church Age. Just before He returns. Just how the times will be, and just what we should be doing about it .

Luke 21:28 “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws nigh.”

Everyday we hear and see more of what Jesus said would happen….happen.
And what are we to do about it? Hide our heads….Act out…..wring our hands in fear?
No! That is not it!!
Look up! Lift up your heads!
1st turn your eyes away from the world-system.
2nd be actively seeking the joy and peace of God for each situation you need to go thru, till He comes.

We should rejoice in seeing these come to pass , even as Jesus said they would.
We should be praying. “Amen! Even so Come LORD JESUS”
And we should be “loving His Appearing”. For there is a Crown of Righteousness laid up for all who Love His Appearing! (2 Timothy 4:8)

Luke 18:2-7 “Saying, there was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:
And there was a widow in that city, and she came unto him saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.
And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Tho I fear not God, nor regard man;
Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge says.
And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, tho He bear long with them?”

If this were a Roman Judge (the Jews were always in 3’s). He would not care much for the needs of a Jew. Especially one of no importance, like a widow. For she could do him no damage!
But she kept coming back! She was often in his court!

Now he feared not God nor regarded man.
So anything he did , would be on a personal level….without thought of anything or anyone else.
Not because of pressure from someone or something.

But she kept coming! Avenge me of mine Adversary!
This is not a request for punishment of her Adversary.
But for a Decree, issued by this Judge, that would give her PROTECTION from his injustices.
To keep him from harming her.
LIKE A RESTRAINING ORDER ISSUED TODAY

Luke 18:5 “Yet because this widow troubles me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.”

“She weary me”; Literally means. “She give me a black eye”
Her always appearing there , in his court, might ruin his reputation!
People might get the wrong idea about him.

This Judge acted from only self-involved motives.
From this consideration–alone–he thought it best to avenge her.

And our Lord said “Hear what the unjust judge says”
Because the Lord Jesus wanted to show that all the judge’s motives were personal…yet what she sought ; she got.

Then our Lord Jesus contrasts the unjust judge and God. Shall not GOD surely do right?
Shall He not avenge His own elect? From their Adversary?
And how are we to ask?

Luke18:1 “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”
Faint means to weaken in purpose, or spirit; to languish; TO JUST GIVE UP.

When we pray, we ought to believe that God is going to hear and keep at it until we know He does.

Luke 18:7 “And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, tho he bear long with them?”

We are not what we ought to be in this Age; yet He bears long with us.
Wanting us to be other than we are ….to enjoy the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit’s enablement. To get us out from the Adversary’s injustices. To know the power of life (abundant life) as obedient subjects of His kingdom now.
Loving us, rebuking us, and chastening us that we might become full sons.

Luke 18:8 “I tell you (and this is the Lord Jesus speaking) that he WILL avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?”

Yes, He will avenge us…speedily.
“Heavenly Father, Avenge me of my Adversary!”
This is like a restraining order, remember; against our Adversary , the Devil.
To keep him from hurting us.
And we should always ask for such decrees against our Adversary.
He will not only issue such Decrees, He will do so speedily.

Yet , Jesus asked; “shall he find faith on the earth?” Not that He doesn’t know….but to AWAKEN US to the VERY DANGEROUS TIME IN WHICH WE LIVE.

There are temptations, cares, enemies of God, worldly pleasures, evil companions, …..
All of them can be used by our Adversary to “hurt us”.
To keep us from entering into God’s Best for us.

The Devil seeks to defeat every child of God….not in Salvation.
But in Progress.
To keep them children , when they should go on to maturity in the faith.

To keep them self-centered, instead of Christ-centered; That will devour up a whole lifetime of works and attitudes.

Shall He find “faith” on the earth?
This faith here is (in the Greek “pistis”). Conviction of truth or the truthfulness of God. Reliance upon Christ for salvation and CONSTANCY IN SUCH PROFESSION.

Do you TRUST Christ for Salvation, but not for today?
Shall we not all apprehend that for which we are apprehended of Christ Jesus?

Has the Church ever had so much riches as it has today?
With so little results?

Why is it we see so little Reality in a Christian’s Profession?
I don’t know…but I am sure it is a matter of the Heart.

I believe that today many claim the Promise; without having the corresponding experience of that Promise.
They honor the Word, while rejecting the living LORD of that Word.
As Israel of old, they draw near with their lips, to God; but their hearts are far from HIM.
For I believe it is a matter of the heart. Who or What do you love?
Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life”
What “life” will you have?
1 Peter 1:3 ” According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, thru the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue”
He “hath given”. Then why don’t we have it in practice?
Because the PERSONAL KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST COSTS US . He wants to “COME” and reign in our lives, with that joy and power that comes with HIMSELF.

What takes 1st place in your life?
To what do you give final obedience….for surely this is your God.

Matthew 6:10 “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in Heaven”
He is King. But is He my King? Is He your King?
Who sits on the throne of your heart?

Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

He stands ready to do. To do for you. And Jesus has said God will issue such Decrees against our Adversary when we cry unto Him.
So where does that place us?
And just what kind of Christians ought we to be; with so much offered?
He is King….Will you make Him your King?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Lord’s Personal Voice to His Sheep

John 10:1-5 “Verily, Verily, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door of the sheepfold, by climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers.”

Here is a very lovely picture of the personal care and guidance of the Christ Jesus our Lord, who is our Good Shepherd.

John 10:14 “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.”

In the days of Christ, there would be one sheep fold for many flocks. The Shepherd would come to the door: state his name, so the porter or watchman from the night before, would let him in to get his sheep.

Then the Shepherd would go to the door, and call his sheep. (There is always a few older sheep which would follow quite close to the Shepherd, and they would be first to come.) “Come on Nathan, come on Levi, come on Gershom, come on Sarah”
And out they would come behind him.
The other sheep of his flock would then follow, too.

It was their name that brought them out to follow the Shepherd; and so Jesus teaches here, that He calls us by our name, when He calls us to follow Him.

He goeth before them. Christ Jesus always leads us on. So that He meets any obstacle first. He has prepared our way, and He leads us in it.

As a Christian, you should have experienced this already.
His call to follow Him in your everyday experiences. He leads, we follow; it is that simple.
There are enemies. There are dangers. There are also warm days of feeding and following, and resting with Christ.
He leads us through them all; and protects us in these events, as we follow Him.
It is our life here in this world of strife, which is pictured. He has encamped about us; keeping us in His fold, and calling us forth for each days events.

Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”

And it is always His Voice which is calling us onward. Have you responded to HIs call to follow Him?
It is an amazing thing, when we as sheep, learn to make each day an adventure with Christ. (And sheep can be pretty stubborn)

Today, is a new day. Yesterday’s failures have been confessed. Yesterday’s successes have been brought to Christ in thanksgiving, and laid aside.
Now, it is today.
And today is the time for more going on with Jesus. We can hear His voice today, and follow into the place He has for us.
Maybe the same people we see everyday, but with new conversations.
Maybe new people. Enemies, or friends, we will let our Shepherd decide. (He only can see their hearts, and intentions.)

John 10:27-29 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
And I give unto them eternal life, (eternal life is a condition of life now, and throughout eternity) and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
My Father, which gave them to me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”

He has made all the provision for our lives. He has saved us. He now calls us to follow Him, today, and the next and the next, as His sheep. Following His Voice, and His leading through all our circumstances.

Are we ready to hear?

MY Voice

Genesis 3:8 “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.”

And they heard the Voice of the Lord God, walking in the garden in the cool of the day.

What a time of fellowship this could have been! Walking with the Lord God in the garden, talking and laughing.

(I would like to make something very clear to everyone here:
Do not let the Adversary of our souls, the devil, fool you in this.
God has always desired fellowship with His Creation.)

Isaiah 57:15 “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
“I dwell in the high and holy place”. Of course He does, He is God.

But also “with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit”. Contrite means to bruise, or crush. Humble means to make low, to abase.
In other words, God is with those who have been bruised or crushed under the weight of their sins, and who abase or lower themselves from their pride; to come to Him and get forgiveness, and help.

This is what Adam and Eve should have done.

Genesis 3:8-9 “And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden.
And the Lord God called Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?”

Now God was not asking Adam where are you hiding? He knew that already.
But, “Where art thou?” in your relationship with Me?
In what shape are you now, in your standing with Me?

It was His Voice, not a thunderclap! It was His Voice, not the ground opening and swallowing them; sending them down to hell immediately.

But it was His Voice, and their day of reckoning.
What would they do? They had already sinned; would they seek His forgiveness? Or let pride get them to excuse themselves.

We sadly know what they chose. And it has been happening to every child of Adam and Eve, since then. Pride rules our hearts, until, when we hear God’s Voice speaking to us in our innermost being, and we give up our pride, and yield to Him.

But now, let me ask you: Where do you stand in the purpose for which you were created?
Are you hiding from the Lord in all the busy ways you can?
“But Lord, you can see I am very busy, covering myself with all sorts of good works. Does it matter that I may not be doing what You want me to?”

Bible Wisdom is of God. It is more than knowledge, it is a Light shining into the circumstances we are in, for us to know how to act; and it includes the power to act.

It is the Voice of God, the Creator, crying out to His creation, to give opportunity to have all that is included in true fellowship with Him.

Proverbs 1:20-23 “Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets.
She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gate: in the city she uttereth her words saying,
How long, ye simple ones will ye love your simplicity? And the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?
Turn you at my reproof: Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.”

“Turn you at My reproof”. When God reproves, it is so we can “Wake up”, and get back into His Way for us.

“Behold!”
Now stop! Take notice of this:
“I will pour out My Spirit unto you.” Notice: it is “unto you”. A very personal invitation to have the Holy Spirit poured into you, bubbling up, for guidance and help.

“I will make known My Words unto you.” Again, it is unto “you”; a personal call.
Will you hear, and have it?

The Voice of the Almighty Creator to His creature, offering wisdom and a personal relationship with Him, by His Spirit. This is His Voice to us, will we hear it?

You must hear Him in your personal circumstances; in your city, in your workplace, in your home.
He is not just in the Heavens, nor just in Church (although we should “not forsake the assembling of ourselves together”. Hebrew 10:25); but He is with us, as Christians, everywhere, all the time.
But have we hidden ourselves from Him?

(There is an old joke about a older couple who were driving along in their car, when they see a young couple: the young woman is seated right next to him in the front seat, while he is driving.
The older woman turned and asked her husband: “Why don’t we sit like that anymore?”
And he replied, “Well, I haven’t moved.”)

If we have hidden ourselves from Him, among any other false refuge; then return unto the Lord, for He abundantly kind. He will forgive.
He may rebuke us, for our foolishly letting other things take first place in our lives; but He will speak, and lead us on with Him. Out of the busy life of self; into the glorious life of Christ’s servant.

Psalms 143:8 “Cause me to hear thy loving kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
Deliver me, O Lord, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me.
Teach me to do thy will; for thou art God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.”

Will we hear His Voice to us?

 

Ye are the Salt of the Earth

Salt, in scripture, is the preserving power of active righteousness, and grace.
Salt preserves whatever it is in. It keeps it from becoming putrid and rancid. It kills the germs which would destroy it.
So salt, as Jesus talks about here, is the grace which always seeks the right way of acting and doing. It preserves us from the corrupt policies of the world, and the rotten attitudes and opinions from within ourselves.
It keeps us set aside to God, and His will for us.
In the narrow way, we are helped and maintained by the preserving power of salt.(The empowering of grace, which supports our obedience, each day)

Matthew 5:13 “Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt hath lost it’s savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and be trodden under foot of men.”
(Salt works its way into things. If you salt meat on the outside, and let it set; that salt will work its way into the meat, and season all of it.)
Like salt on meat, so the “salt” of active obedience, and grace works its way into our hearts, cleansing and purifying us; so that we can have that strengthening fellowship with our Lord Jesus, that we need.

 

Every sacrifice in the Tabernacle, was to be offered with salt. The nature of man is corrupt; and so it must be “salted”, so the sacrifice unto God would be acceptable.
(Romans 12:1-2). For the salting showed the Covenant of God, who set aside a people to be His, in righteousness, and holiness. The salt symbolized this. The salt for the sacrifice was provided by money which all the people gave. It showed that fellowship with their Holy God, was to be enjoyed, and preserved by the obedience of all the people.

Leviticus 2:13 “And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the Covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thy offerings thou shalt offer salt.”

The salt of grace tests everyone.
Mark 9:49-50 “For everyone shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt.
Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltiness, wherewith shall ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. ”

Either it will preserve us from the uncleanliness of the world, the flesh, and the devil; Or it will be a fire within us. For the pleasures we secretly desire, and won’t put away; will burn us up.

Salt is good. For all who use it. Grace is the unmerited favor of the power of God in a Christian’s life.
Are we putting to use, the “salty” nature of grace for ourselves?

Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
We are to “season” our conversations with the knowledge of Christ, and grace. We are to use wisdom and grace to answer every man that asks us of the hope that is within us, with meekness and fear.(1 Peter 3:15)

Ephesians 3:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Salt is good. It preserves our hearts, and tongues. Let us use the salt of grace, and have fellowship with Christ Jesus in all we do.
Let us be the salt of the earth, helping to preserve those we come into contact with; by showing forth the righteousness of Christ.

To Fail of the Grace of God

Hebrews 12:15 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”

Grace is the unmerited favor of power. It is a gift from God to His children. God’s grace saves, upholds us, and strengthens us for the work.

So how can we “fail of the grace of God”?

Simply, by not using it.

How many times have we asked for help; and refused it, when it came, because we did not like the way it came?
(“I will not take help from that person, they always think bad of me anyway.” Really? If God has sent that person to help you, so what if you don’t like them? Or even if they don’t like you? Wouldn’t that make the miracle of help, so much better?)

How many times has God sent a trial for us to pass through, and we have refused to do so, because we don’t think we can “handle it”?
When you do this, you are failing of the grace that God wanted to give you to go through this trial.
(He sends us trials to make us stronger in His love, and faith.
1 Peter 1:5-7 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:”)

And how many times have we thought that we are O.K. We don’t need help with this. We have done this many times.
And then, because we have refused to take the fresh supply of God’s grace, we fail: either in our tongues, or in our reactions to something.
(The disciples thought this, when they thought they would go back to fishing, after Jesus was crucified, and had arose.
John 21:3 “Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.”)

We fail of the grace of God, when we allow the bitterness of resentment to “spring up”.
Hebrew 12:15 “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”

There are resentments which are buried in our emotions. Time has passed, and so we think that they are gone. But they are just gone underground. Someone’s actions may bring them all out again.
They are there, because we have not removed them. It is by the grace of God giving us forgiveness for the person that has hurt us, that removes them.

This is hard, impossible in some situations, without His grace enabling us to do it!
But, if we won’t remove them, they will “trouble you”.

They will “spring up” (This is such a good description of how they suddenly appear.)
A little thing can remind us of these. And once it is in our heads again, it needs to be taken to the Lord.

God’s grace is a gift from our Lord, for now. The grace of this day. The grace for this hour, even.
How much we need it!
Let us seek to RECEIVE all He has for us, and stop failing of the grace of God.
Let us seek to yield to the Holy Spirit within, and receive His revelations of the things which hinder our walk with Him.
And mostly, let us receive all the “power of God through faith unto salvation” (our salvation), for we are kept by it: kept from the deceits of the world, the flesh, and the devil; and kept close to Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1:5 “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Launch out into the Deep
Luke 5:4 “Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.”
Here the Lord is getting surrounded about with people , who want to hear more of the word of God, by the lake of Gennesaret.
Two fishing ships were at hand, although the men were out of them, so Jesus enters into one of them and asked the owner, named Simon, to:
Luke 5:3 “And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.”
There was some effort to this favor for Jesus, and now Jesus is going to do Simon a favor.
“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nests for a draught.”
Simon, here, was trying to be polite; and gently tells Jesus that they had already done everything they could to get a catch of fishes.
Luke 5:5 “And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all night, and have taken nothing: Nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.”
But he also added, “But at thy word ”
Here is obedience. Peter might not have agreed with the plan. Might not have thought it would work; but would do it anyway, to honor Jesus.

Jesus had “borrowed” Peter’s ship, and now He would “pay” him for the use of it.
Luke 5:6-7″ And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.”
A net full of fishes, to the breaking point, was what He gave.
“Pressed down and running over”. (Luke 6:38). He spoke this word…He fulfilled this word to Peter, here.

But now, with the “payment” given; Peter realizes this Jesus was who John the Baptist testified; “The Lamb of God”. (John 1:35-41). That He was indeed the Christ.
Peter then fell down (probably a most unusual position for the energetic fisherman)
And cried “Depart from me for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
Luke 5:8-9 “When Simon Peter saw it he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes that they had taken:”
“Lord” is the right title for Jesus. And it led to following Jesus.

Luke 5:10-11 “And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed Him.”
They forsook all and followed Him.
This is the best gift–to be called to follow Jesus.

Launch out into the deep. A simple command, simply followed; which led to becoming a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord Jesus also calls us to “Launch out” with Him in our everyday lives, to be obedient to Him.
We may not “agree” with the command; or think we have already done all we could;
but we will obey.
“They forsook all”; they had known Jesus before (as John 1:35-41 shows), but now their lives were at Jesus’ command.
What about us? Do we know Jesus, yet have not “launched out” with Him into true discipleship?
He calls, will we follow?
We may never “forsake all” in the same way as Peter, James, and John did here….but we are always called to place Him first.
And with Him first, everything else is seen to. (Mark 1:20)
Matthew 6:33. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

 

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego

Daniel 3:1 “Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was three score cubits, and his breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.”

We are all inclined to “success, and praise”. Nebuchadnezzar was. He had been given a interpretation of a dream by Daniel which spoke of himself as a “golden head”. (Daniel 2:37-38)

He then sought to show everyone, just how great he was. The “golden head”, became a golden statue.
And now everyone gathered,and especially his princes, and people placed in authority, was to bow down to it!

Daniel 3:4-6 “Then a herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sacbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
And whoso falleth not down and worshipeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

But there were three Godly men, who had been appointed into positions of authority in Babylon, who did not bow to his image. Their names were: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego.
It was not that they did not respect the king, but they were to worship one God, only: the God of Heaven. So they could not bow down to any other “god”.
But, because of their positions, there are others ready to accuse them before the king.

Daniel 3:12 “There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

Nebuchadnezzar, knowing the jealousy of princes when they inform on one another, gives these men another chance to bow down to his image.

Daniel 3:14-15 “Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abend-nego? Do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up?
Now if ye be ready at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sacbut, psaltery, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the image that I have made; well:
but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace;
And who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand?”

Now here is a trial, which we, as Christians, often face: Should we go along with the world in certain things?
Should we sacrifice our position, to honor the Lord?
Surely, we can do “good” in a position of authority; so, should we jeopardize it for God?
Does it matter, if it is in a minor thing?

Yes, every Christian knows the answers to these questions; yet how often do we follow through?

These men were not only going to lose their positions, but their lives. Nebuchadnezzar was making it very clear where he stood: Honor me or die; because “your God can not deliver you from my hand”. (Boy, was he wrong!)

Daniel 3:16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said unto the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king.
But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.”

But these three Israelites were also making it very clear where they stood: with God, their God.
They said they “were not careful to answer” him. Simply put, they did not care about his threats, or actions against them, if it meant dishonoring their God, the real true God.
And further, they said, that God would deliver them, whether by death or some other way. But what ever happens, they would not worship Nebuchadnezzar’s gods, nor bow down to the golden image.
That would dishonor their God.

Daniel 3:19, 21 “Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more that it was wont to be heated.
Then these men were bound in their coats, and their hose, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.”

Furious, Nebuchadnezzar told his men to heat the furnace (his appointed means of destruction for those not willing to bow to his image), seven times hotter than previously!
It was so hot that when the men who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego , into the furnace; they died from the heat!
Perhaps Nebuchadnezzar wasn’t so sure of himself. Perhaps their God would be able to deliver them, after all.

Daniel 3:24-25 “Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

While waiting for them to disappear from view, Nebuchadnezzar gets surprised by the men, up and walking in the furnace. (They had been bound)
But there were four men walking there. And one was like to the Son of God.

This is an amazing sight. But unlike others, Nebuchadnezzar saw the truth, and acknowledged it.
He did not try to ignore it, and say: “No, I will not believe that there is this kind of power, which can withstand me, and my fiery furnace! I will close my eyes to this, and let them burn.”
He did not do this. He saw, and he acknowledged, and then he believed.

Some men refuse the truth right before them. They refuse to see, and will not acknowledge God’s Authority. He can, and does what He will, with His own.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego knew this.
Now Nebuchadnezzar does, too.

Daniel 3:26-27 “Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the Most High God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
And the princes, and the governors, and captains, and the kings counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was a hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of the fire had passed upon them.”

There was no smell of smoke; nor was there burnt clothing on them. God had not only brought the men through, but everything of theirs through without hurt, as well.

Nebuchadnezzar was changed himself; though not completely purged from self-honor, yet.
But he honored the God which could deliver “after this sort”.
For he said (and he was talking about his own gods, as well): “because their is no other God that can deliver after this sort.”

Daniel 3:28-29 “Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that had trusted in him, and have changed the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve or worship any god, except their own God.
Therefore I make a decree, that every people, nation, and language, which speak anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill; Because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.”

The principal we always need to remember is:
(1 Samuel 2:30). “…for them that honor me I will honor, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.”

We are to be in the world, but not of it.
We are, instead, to be looking to the Lord, for His Word, and His help; for His honor.

Psalm 34:4-8 “I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (This is when they were first called to come before Nebuchadnezzar. How many fears went through their minds. But the Lord saved them from these fears)

“They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.” (This is when they spoke boldly before Nebuchadnezzar, for their God.)

“This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.”(This is when, bound and thrown in the furnace, they lifted their prayers to God.)

“The angel of the Lord campeth round about them that fear him and delivereth him.”
(This is when God saved them by the Presence of Himself, with them.)

“O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” (This is the conclusion for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego; And all who will trust in the Lord.)

 

 

Forgive me, O Lord, and Restore a Right Spirit within Me.

In Psalm 51, David pours out his heart to God for forgiveness.

He had sinned terribly, by adultery; and then, the fixed murder of the woman’s husband.
Worse, he had refused to seek forgiveness for it, trying to hide it; until God sent someone to show him that God knew, and was very displeased.

Sin is rebellion against God. It is seeking my will over His Will; seeking to have me as ruler of my life.

This is what happened to David. It started innocently enough. He had been home from the war with the Ammonites. And he wanted to stay home; to have a little more rest and relaxation than God wanted. It was the time for kings to go out to war, and he should have been at the head of his army.
2 Samuel 11:1 “And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.”

But instead, he stayed in Jerusalem, and “took time off”. He was sleeping all day, and got up; and went on top of the roof of his house, when he saw Bathsheba.

If he had been at the battle, all the other things would not have happened.
He first lusted after a little more rest. (Was his army “resting”? Did he think because he was king, he could skip his duty?)
Then he lusted after a woman. And when lust was conceived: sin.

Instead of setting it right, he continued in it for months; for Bathsheba told him she was “with child”.

Then, came the choice of a lifetime. David comes up with the plan to dupe her husband into thinking the child was his.
This did not work, so he plans it, that the husband would be killed by the enemy.
2 Samuel 11:15 “And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.”

David, even now was not repentant.

You wonder how a man so close to God, could be so overcome with sin! But, the truth is, we underestimate the power sin has on our life. It’s power grows as we refuse to deal with it. Had David stopped, and sought forgiveness after the first sin with Bathsheba; God’s power would have easily overcome the power of the lust; and saved him from continuing on to deceit, and murder. (2 Samuel 12:9)

He went on, till God had to send someone to him. First the rebuke, then the chastening.
David was forgiven; but suffered by illness, and rebellion in his children because of his sin. He was not paying for his sins; but reaping what he had sown.
Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

Though David sinned terribly, yet he repented greatly. True repentance comes, as we come to God, without merit of any kind from ourselves, to get an answer from God, Himself. Not to just be satisfied with the seeking of forgiveness; but the word of forgiveness from God, personally.

Psalm 51:1-2 “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”

David calls upon God for mercy. Mercy presupposes sin. And David had sinned. And he knew it. He had known within his heart for months, and he had known it by the word of the Lord through His servant. The rebuke brought about the right results. He sought for spiritual mercy.
It is the benevolence and kindness of God to a sinner, who seeks forgiveness, and salvation from their sins.
In God’s mercy, was his only hope, and so David’s faith reached out to that character of God, and cries for God’s mercy. It is only in God himself that the wiping away of sin could be found. (For the promise of the coming Messiah, who would bring victory over sin, and sin’s consequences, was known. And all who trusted in God, looked forward to Him.)

David could do nothing. There was no sacrifice for the sin he had committed, “else he would give it”
Psalm 51:16 “For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offerings.”

The mercy he asks of God was “according to his loving kindness”; according to the character of God.
He did not know whether God would hear his cry; for David had turned a deaf ear to God.
He wasn’t asking because he had earned it, even with the repentance.
He was asking God to do according as His character was.
And David spoke plainly concerning his sin.

“Blot out my transgressions”, or “revoltings”. These acts he had committed were not “slips”, or just defective obedience. No, they were acts of rebellion against God.

David had revolted against God’s rule in his life, and wanted to do his own will.
His actions were great perversity; the twisting of God’s grace into sin.
God had given David the kingdom, and great help in all that he had done; and with God looking on, David had misused the grace, and despised His goodness.

What would God do with him?

He wanted forgiveness; he would not be able to come before God without it; but he wanted complete removal of all this defilement within.
To be throughly washed from his the mass of his filthiness, and iniquity!

Here is a way we can all test ourselves and “our repentance”.
Are we content if we just ask for forgiveness, and not to seek cleansing?
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

It is forgiveness and cleansing.

God had sent a man to rebuke him. This was a great grace, not to let him continue in his rebellion.
God had made David willing to confess, so he asks God to finish the work of grace within him. To forgive and cleanse him.

Psalm 51:9-10 “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

God’s “hiding” His face from our sins, is putting them away. (Psalm 103:12)

So David prays for a new life.
“Create in me a clean heart” cries out for a new heart within him. David realizes that he will revolt again, if God does not give him clean affections. And God needs to create them within him.
Give me a submissive heart, and make me steadfast to You.

Psalm 51:11-12 “Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and up hold me with thy free spirit.”

Do not leave me to my own way.
Do not throw me away; or take away Your Holy Spirit from me.

David had know the joy of God in His life, and he prayed that it would be restored.
And that he would be kept (“lead me not into temptation, and deliver me from evil”, as the Lord Jesus taught us to pray. Matthew 6:13) from falling into evil again.

To be free from sin is true freedom indeed.
Sin is the worst bondage.
Though some call it “freedom”; it enslaves, by a constant growing desire for “more, more, more”.
With each step forward, the slave is “unknowingly” sinking. As quicksand does not suck the victim in immediately, but slowly brings him down, till the mire covers his head in death; so sin does the same.

Only God can free us from sin.
First, He brings us to repentance: a “repentance not to be repented of”.
2 Corinthians 7:10 “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
Do we want to be free from our sin, or just the consequences of it?

Second, He leads us to Christ.
John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

Third, He leads us in the desire for true liberty of Spirit, which is the freeing us of the power of sin over us.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

David’s faith in God, lead him to cry to God, for this forgiveness and cleansing.
The desire to be able to worship, and come near God again.
Is this what we want, as well?
Christ’s Sacrifice is able to cleanse us from all sin.
Will we seek it from Him?

Wild as Horses,
Stubborn as Mules,
Or Guided by God’s Eye.

Psalm 32:8-9 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Be not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.”

Horses are beautiful and wild. When you break a horse, you don’t want to break its spirit, but its will.

Mules are very good animals of burden and work. They work hard….when they do; but it is getting them to do it, that is the problem.

Bits and bridles for both of these animals are often called for, in the training period, and sometimes, beyond.

We are often like this, the Lord says. We are wild, wanting our own will.
And we are stubborn; this is written in a Psalm of David, where he confesses his refusal to go to God in confession of sin.

Psalm 32:3-4 ” When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me: my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Selah.”

David knew he had sinned. He just refused to acknowledge it. He did not want to think of it.
But when God dealt with him; he could think of nothing else. It took all his strength and vitality; and left him withered, until he did come and confess it.
(Selah means: stop and consider!)

But there is a remedy for this way of behaving. God says He will instruct us.
This means that He will gives us knowledge to do; but also understanding in that knowledge.
Men can instruct as to what to do,
But only God can give understanding.

 

Then He says He will teach us.
He will take our hands and place them on the work, and show us how it is to be done.
It is the “on job” training of God for us. It is Amazing!
God personally taking us aside and guiding us in everything we are to do.

“I will guide thee with my eye.” How many looks have we received from our parents, our spouses, and friends. We know so well what they mean, without them saying a word.
This is the relationship God wants to have with each of us.

 

 

What does it mean to Overcome?

To Overcome means to subdue, have the Victory, prevail , or conqueror.
For us, as Christians, we are called to overcome everything which stands in the way of our doing the Lord’s Will.
This is a battle. We are to do battle with our lusts, our self life, and the world, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

First, Christ speaks of His Overcoming:

Luke 11:21-22 ” When a strong man armed keepeth his palace his goods are in peace:
But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.”

This is speaking about His overcoming the Devil and releasing his prisoners.

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

This is speaking about His overcoming the world.

Both of these He overcame for us. On the Cross, when He said, “It is Finished”, the Victory was won.
The Devil would have to open his prison house for those who received Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior.
The World and it’s influence, would not be able to persuade the Christian, who truly obeyed Christ; to follow it’s corruptions.
1 John 2:15-17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.”

The Victory is won; but we still have to enter into it, for ourselves, personally. This is the Battle.
We have to exercise the faith Christ gives us, in our lives, today. For faith lays hold on God and His promise of Victory, and brings down from God the grace needed; that we can have it.
1 John 5:4-5 “And whosoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Faith looks to God. It says that God will, with Christ, “freely give us all things.”
Romans 8:32 “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?”

In the letters to the seven Churches; Christ Jesus commands those who have ears to hear; to “Hear what the Spirit says”. (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28, 3:5, 12, 21-22)

From the times of the Apostles, who warned of “wolves in sheep clothing”; to the present age, Christ Jesus is saying:
“Follow My Holy Spirit, by hearing what He is saying to you; and overcome that which stands in the Way of doing my will for your life; He will show you what hinders you, and how to remove it from your life.
Or follow the spirit of the times (each age had it’s “spirit”. Some full of violence, others full of dishonesty, others full of experimentation into feelings, and the mind).”

Just as the Man Christ Jesus, overcame every obstacle that stood in the Way of His Father’s Will for Him, here.
(He went to the Cross, was Resurrected, and received all power in heaven and earth for His Church. Matthew 28:18-20)
So must we overcome everything which stands in the way of Christ’s Will for our lives

He gives the faith which overcomes, the light which makes the darkness in our lives flee away, and the grace, by the Holy Spirit within, to finish the work He has given us.

The work of the Spirit in us, by us, and through us for others.